Artificial hand.



E.4 L. ocoNNon.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

APPLICATION man MAY 24. 19u.

1,277,747.- l Pantedsept.3,19171 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

Z5 z 3 vwewtoz EDWARD L. ocoNNoR, OFNEW YORK, n. Y.

ARTIFICIAL HAND.

specnicanon of Letters Patent. .Patented Sept. 3, 1918.

Application filed May 24,1917. Serial No. 170,592.

To all whom 'it may concern:

`Be it known that l, EDWARD a citizen of the United States, residing at New York, in the county and York, have invented certain new the following is a full, clear, and exact description. f i

This invention relates to artificial hands, and its chief object is to provide a jointed hand of which the thumb and fingers can be liexed at the will of the wearer whereby certain movements and functions of the natural hand can be yusefully reproduced. To this and other ends the invention consists in the novel features of construction and combina-V tions of parts hereinafter described and set forth in the claims.

In its preferred form the invention comprises a socket memberadapted to be fitted upon the stump of the forearm, and a band or corset for the upper arm, the two parts being jointedtogether to permitflexure of the stump and socket-member of the muscles of the upper arm. The thumb and fingers of the hand are jointed, and connection is provided' between thev mechanism of the hand and the arm-band or corset whereby flexure of the fore-arm stump and socket member will flex the fingers and thumb.

` One form of the invention is illustrated in the annexed drawings, in which- Y Figure 1 is a perspective View showing the hand fitted to the person of the user.

Fig. 2 is a planview of the complete hand. Fig. 3 is a sectional plan view of the socket-member and arm-band, showing also the frame of the hand proper. v

Figs. 4: and 5 are detail cross sections on lines 4-4 and 5,-5, respectively, of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a detail side view of the handmechanism, and

Fig. 7 is a plan viewvof the same.

Fig. 8 is a horizontal section on line 8-8 of Fig. 7. The socketmember 10, adapted to be fitted to the stump of the forearm, comprises a sleeve 11 of canvas,leather, or other suitable material, made in two partslaced together at front and rear along a longitudinal line soas to be capable of adjustment according tothe thickness of the stump on which it is to be fitted. The two parts are securely fastened (as by rivets.) to a pair of longitudi- L. OCoNNoR,

State of New and usefulv Improvements in Artificial Hands, of which 'ciently close to,v

nal side members 12, which are themselves secured at their outer ends tofa wrist-block 13, which latter is also surrounded by the sleeve 11, as shown in Figsf2 and 3. At their inner ends the braces or sidefmembers 12 are provided with longitudinally slotted parts 14: connected to the main portions of the braces 'by screws 15 extending through the slots, as clearly shown in Fig. 3. rlhe upper-arm band. similar material to the socket-member sleeve, and is also made in two parts with front and rear lacings, to` fit arms of diderent sizes. It is also provided with longitudinal braces orside-members 17, which are pivotally jointed at 18, to the adjacent ends of the side-members 12-14 so that the arm canj be bent at the elbow. The sliding connection of the parts 12. and 14 permits the joints 18 to be Vbrought in alinement with, or suithe axis of the elbow to permit easy flexure of the arm at that point. Socket-members and arm-bands ofV a. stand ard size can ,thus be used withrstumps of dilferentlengths, as will be readily understood. v

The wrist-block13carries an outwardly extending wrist-bar 19, and'integral therewith, at its outer end are two alined and axially spaced wrist-bearings 20, 21, having, near their outer ends, a pair of longitudinally extending arms 22, 23, terminating in knuckle-bearings 24, 25. These parts comprise what for convenience may be termed the 23 performing the functions of the metacarpal bones of the natural hand. The-parts 19, 20-21-and 22-23, can be conveniently termed the wrist-member. l Y

. The'wrist-shaft 26,'Figs. 6,7 and 8, is mounted in the wrist-bearings 20, 21, and pinned to it at one end, Voutside the adjai cent bearing, 1s a thumb-member 27, which is fastened on the wrist-shaft at an appro# priate side of the bar approximately the formof a partly flexed natural thumb.v Secured to the thumb member near the wrist-shaft 26, and extending across the palm of the hand above the or corset 16 is made of frameV of thehandproper, the arms 22,

19 and'is curved to ico plane of the bearings 20-21 and 24--25,

and parallel to the wrist-shaft, is a finger-l actuating rod 28, connected to the wristpin by means of a link 29 pinned thereto.

The latter 'pis arranged between the two Wrist-bearings 20, 21, and is provided with an eye 30 forV connection with the forward or outer end of a cord or ligament 3l, the rear or inner end yof which is connected to a ring 32, Figs. l and 2, which is itself connected by diver-ging straps 33 to the side members 17 of the arm-band. It

. will therefore be seen that when thev arm is straightened the ligament exerts a pull on the link 29, thereby rocking the wrist-shaft 26 and swinging the thiunb-member 27 tow-ard the dotted line position vshown in Fig. 6. Preferably the ligament 31 is of such length that the pull on the link 29 will occur just before the arm is straightened to the fullest extent, but the ligament is adjustable as to length by untying one or both knots at theends and. drawing it up or letting it out, so that the user can regulate the actuation of the hand-mechanism to suit himself. An adjustable strap 34 around the upper arm and over the ligament-branches 33 prevents too great slackness of the ligament when the arm is bent.

- The knuckle-joint of the lingers is formed by the knuckle-bearings 24, 25, and a knuckle-shaft 35 mounted therein, on which the basilar phalanges 86 are rigidlylmounted. The knuckle-shaft 35 is also equipped with a lug 37, extending oppositely from the fingers and connected by a link 38 to the linger-actuating rod or pin 28, so that as the thumb-member is swung towardv the dotted line position of Fig. 6 by the lpull ofthe ligament 3l, as already described, the knuckle shaft will be rocked and the fingers thereby extended. In short, the pull of the ligament, exerted by straightening the arm, opens the hand. A coil spring 89, connected to the eye 80 on link 29, and to an eye 40 on the knuckle-shaft 35, aided by a U-spring 4:1 connected to the thumb-member 27 and to the basilar phalanx of the first or index iinger, opposes the described opening movement and hence serves to swing the thumb and lingers toward a closed position ofthe hand when the arm is bent at the elbowr and the pull on the ligament thereby relaxed. Either spring may be omitted if desired, but I prefer to have both, as in that case the breakage or failure of one spring will still leave the hand operative.

Each basilar phalanx of the fingers is hollow ortubular and carries a sliding pawl 4t2, Fig. 8, urged outwardly by a coil spring it-3 and coperating. at its outer vend with ratchet teeth on theinner end ofthe middle phalanx, so as to hold the latter in any one of several positions of flexure, as will be clearly understood from Fig. 8. The inner or palm ends of the pawls 42 are connected to links lll which are slotted longitudinally at their other ends to engage the finger-actuating rodor pin 28.y yWhen the parts are in the positions shown in Fig'. 8 the bar 28 vthe bar 28 approaches the rear end of the slot; and just before the arm fully straightens (and the thumb and basilar phalanges thereby straighten to the fullest extent) the bar reaches the rear end of the slot. Further straightening of the arm then causes the bar to draw the links i rearwardly, thereby retractingthe pawls 42 and releasing the middle phalanges, as will be readily understood. rEhe elastics il5 then contract and swing the middle phalanges out into alinement with the basilar phalanges. Preferably the slots in the linksl 44 are successively longer from the index finger to the little finger, so that straightening the arm will permit the index finger to straighten first, then the middle finger, ring finger and little finger in succession, as will be readily understood. Then the arm is flexed again the springs lf3 restore the pawls to their outer positions, whereupon the user can, with his other hand, flex any or all of the middle phalanges, the pawls instantly locking them at each of their several positions of flexure. The elast-ics #l5 can be ordinary rubber bands or small coil springs. Preferably their ends are attached t0 Small hooks 46 so that the user can replace them in case of breakage or can omit them entirely. In the latter case the lingers arestraightened by the users other hand, or, if the joints are sufficiently loose, they can be thrown out straight by a quick movement ofthe arm. rI-he outermost or ungual phalanges of the fingers are flexed and straightened by the other hand, and preferably work a little stifliy so that they will stay in bent position. i

The mechanism of the hand is covered with felt or other suitable material 47, Fig. 2, the finger-coverings being slotted down the backs (not shown) to afford access to the finger-springs 45, Figs. 7 and 8. A glove is worn over the whole, as is customary. As the user walks along the` street, with his arm hanging` down at his side and the tips of the fingers slightly bent, he can, by an almost imperceptible movement of the elbow joint,'-open or close the hand in a very natural manner, so that the. ordinary observer wil-l scarcely notice that the hand is not the natural member.'

The arm-band 16 should be loose enough to` permit free extension and contraction of the arm muscles. A shoulder harness 48, of any convenient .and suitable character, is provided to hold the arm-band and socketmember in proper position, thus permitting a heavy load to be'carried when the arm is extended downwardlyV at the, side ofthe uscrs body; it being understood that in such case the arm is held bent at the elbow just enough to keep the fingers locked in bent position. Hand baggage, and other articles, can thus be carried almost as conveniently and easily as with the natural hand.

It'is to be understood that the invention is not limited to the construction herein specifically illustrated and described, but can be embodied in other forms without departure from its spirit as defined by the appended claims.

I claim: f n

l. In an artificial hand, in combination, a wrist member having wrist-bearings and arms provided at their ends with knucklebearings for a knuckle-joint, a Vthumb-member fixed to the wrist-shaft, a wrist-shaft mounted in the wrist-bearings, a fingeractuating pin mounted on the thumb-member adjacent to the wrist-bearings and extending across the palm of the hand, a knuckle-shaft mounted in the Iknuckle-bearings and connected to the finger-actuating pin to be rocked thereby, fingers carried by the knuckle-shaft, means for mounting the hand upon the stump of the forearm, and means for connecting the wrist-shaft with the upper-arm of the user whereby flexure of the arm at the elbow will rock the wristpin and the knuckle-shaft.

2. In an artificial hand, in combination, a wrist-member, a thumb-member pivoted on the wrist-member, fingers pivotally carried by the wrist-member, a finger-actuating pin extending from the thumb-member across the palm of the hand, a finger-actuating arm extending from the axis of the fingers rearwardly and downwardly below the palm of the hand, a link comiecting the said arm with the said pin whereby upward rocking of the thumb-member will swing the fingers toward the plane of the palm, means for connecting the said pin to the upper-arm of the user whereby straightening the arm at the elbow will rock the thumb-member upwardly, and means for swinging the ,thumb-member and the fingers toward each other when the arm is bent at the elbow.

3. In an artificial hand, in combination, a wrist-melnber having knuckle-bearings for a knuckle-joint, a thumb-member piv oted on the wrist-member, a rock-shaft in said knuckle-bearings, fingers xed to said shaft and having jointed phalanges, the middle phalanges being capable of fiexure on the basilar phalanges independently of each other, devices coperating with the middle phalanges to lock the same in bent position independently of each other, and mechanism for shifting the locking devices to release the middle phalanges and permit the same to swing toward alinement with the basilar phalanges.

4. In an artificial hand, in combination, fingers having flexibly jointed phalanges, devices carried by the basilar phalanges and coperating singly with the middle phalanges to positively lock the same against straightening movement when bent, and mechanism adapted to be connected with the upper-arm of the user and actuated by straightening the arm at the elbow to shift the locking devices out of engagement with the middle phalangesto permit straightening of the same.

'5. In an artificial hand, in combination, fingers having flexibly jointed phalanges, devices carried by the basilar phalanges and slidable longitudinally and coperating with the middle phalangesl to lock the latter in bent position, yielding means for shifting the locking devices into engagement with the middle phalanges, means for retracting the locking devices to permit straightening movement of the middle phalanges, and means for connecting the retracting means to the upper-arm of the user for actuation by'straightening the arm at the elbow.

6. In an artificial hand, in combination, a finger having iiexibly jointed phalanges, the middle phalanx having ratchet-teeth on its inner end, a spring-actuated sliding pawl carried by the basilar phalanx and coperating with said ratchet teeth to hold the middle phalanx in any of several bent positions, means adapted for connection with the upper-arm of the user to retract the pawl when the arm is straightened at the elbow, and yielding means to swing the middle phalanx toward alinement with the basilar phalanx when said pawl is retracted.

7 In an artificial hand, in combination, fingers having a iexible knuckle-joint and flexibly jointed phalanges, mechanism adapt- I ed for connection with the upper-arm of the user and actuated by straightening the arm at the elbow to swing the basilar phalanges at the knuckle-joint toward alinement with the palm of the hand, devices engaging the middle phalanges to lock the same in bent position, and means connecting the said devices to the aforesaid mechanism for actuation thereby to unlock the middle phalanges, whereby the latter may be swung toward alinement with the basilar phalanges when the arm is straightened at the elbow.

8. In an artificial hand, in combination, a

wrist-member having supports for a knuckleat their forward endswitli the said devices to shift the same out of locking engagement with the middle phalangesrand thereby perg mit the same to Swing toward alinement with the basilar phalanges, said links having their rearends provided With slots e11- ga ging theaforesaid pin, `and means adapted for connection with the upper-arm of the user to swing said. pin about the axis 4of the thumb-member when thearni is straightened at theelbow, whereby suchl straightening movement of the `arm swingsthe thumbmember and the fingersV away from each other and unlocks themiddle phalanges of the lingers. v v

Uopies ybf 'this patent may bev obtained for y 9. In an artificial hand,l in combination, fingers having iiexibly jointed phalanges, devices coperating with the middle phalanges singly to lock the same against straightening When in bent position, and mechanism adapted to be connected with the upper arm of the user and actuated by straightening the arm at the'elbow to release the locking devices from the middle phalanges7 said mechanism including links, having slots of different lengths cooperating with said locking devices for causing the saine to be released in succession.

.In testimony Whereofl aiiix my signature.

EDVARD L. OCONNOR.

yc ycents each, by addressing the Commissioner of Patents', `Washingto, 1liy C. 

